Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Progress

It seems to me that Melburnians move about their city in a daze. I frequently see cars dawdling away from the lights as if powered by a lethargic tortoise. People walk out of buildings then stand in the centre of the sidewalk, contemplating the universe, in a way that would see them flattened in a less genteel city like New York. When the lights change and the green man flicks on, pedestrians stand there and slowly absorb the situation, then meander across the street once no better options make themselves apparent.

The good news is that I can cross the city like a lightning bolt. By the time the typical Melburninan has finished their conversation and stepped off the pavement to cross the street, I’m already on the other side and halfway down the next block. Then, unfortunately, colliding with someone who has just exited a building and is wondering what life will bring them next.